Switch-stand



(No Model.) z sneets-sheet 1.

A. E. FLIGKINGER.

SWITCH STAND.

NO. 563,582. Patented July 7-, 1896.

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SWITCH STAND.

Patented July 7, 1896.

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AARON E. FLIOKINGER, OF ELYRIA, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO FRANK A. BEEMAN, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

STAND.

SPEO'IFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 563,582, dated July '7, 1896..

Application filed October 26, 1895.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AARON E. FLICKINGER, of Elyria, in the county of Lorain and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switch-Stands; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art towhich it pertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in switch-stands; and it consists in certain features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan of my improved switch-stand and connected railway-switch. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, mostly in vertical section, on line 2 2, Fig. 1. Portions are broken away in Figs. 1 and 2 to reduce the size of the drawings. Fig. 3 is a left-hand end elevation relative to Figs. 1 and 2.

Referring to the drawings, A designates a main railway-track; B, a stationary branch track-rail that connects with a rail of the main track, and O O the pair of movable rails of the switch. Switch-rails O C are united in the usual manner, and are movable laterally as required to establish or interrupt continuity of either of the aforesaid tracks. The switch rail or rails are operatively connected in any approved manner, by means of a link D, with the switch-operating rod E. LinkD extends in under and transversely of and a suitable distance beyond the outer side of one of the rails of the main track, and at its outer end is bolted or pivoted vertically, as at d, to one end of the longitudinally-reciprocating switch-operatin g rod E. Rod E, that is commonly called the switch-rod, extends upwardly from its pivotal connection with the switch-rail-engaging link, as shown in Fig. 2, to the switch-stand, and thence extends horizontally through and has suitable bearin g in an externally-screw threaded sleeve G. Sleeve G is provided externally with any suitable number of threads g, that engage the threads of the correspondingly internally-screw-threaded metallic box or case H, through which said sleeve extends. Case or box H constitutes, therefore, a large nut engaged internally by the correspond- Serial No. 566,936. (No model.)

ingly externally-threaded sleeve G. Two of the ties I I of the main track are extended beyond said track to form a support for the switch-stand, and nutHis suitably supported from said ties, and, to this end, is provided,

preferably, with legs or feet h, secured, preferably by means of spikes h, to the supporting-ties, as shown in Fig. 1. Sleeve G, atone end, is provided with a lever G for turning the sam e,and said lever is operatively mounted in any approved manner upon the sleeve. Nut H, at the top and central portion, is provided with a socket H, the surrounding wall of whose bore is screw-threaded and engaged by the lower correspondingly externallyscrew-threaded end of the upright switchsignal shaft J. Said shaft, at the upper end of the supporting-socket, is provided with a guard J for preventing ingress of dust, dirt, and. Water to the threaded bearing of said shaft, and said guard consists, preferably 30f an annular flange formed externally of and upon the shaft and overhanging the upper extremity of the outer sides of the supportingsocket, as shown in Fig. 2. a

The signal-shaft, at any suitable point,preferably a short distance above the supportingsocket, is provided with a laterally-proj ectin g arm J that is operatively connected, by means of a link K, with the upper end of an upright arm L, fixed or suitably mounted upon rod E and preferably snugly interposed between one end of sleeve G and a collar or flange E, formed upon and externally of said rod. Rod E extends beyond the lever-bearin g end of sleeve G, and at said end is externally screw-threaded. A nut M is mounted upon said threaded end of rod E, and a washer O is interposed between said nut and the leverbearing end of sleeve G. It will therefore be observed that nut-and washer M and 0 prevent rod E from moving endwise independ-. ently of the embracing sleeve in the one direction, and flange or collar E prevents endwise movement of said rod independently of the embracing sleeve in the opposite direction.

It will also be observed that the movable switch rail or rails are actuated laterally in the one direction or the other, according as sleeve G is turned in the one direction or the other within the engaging and stationary nut.

It will furthermore be observed that the signal-shaft, by means of the connection hereinbefore described between it and sleeve and rod G and E, is actuated in the one direction or the other, according as the switch rail or rails are moved laterally into the one or the other of their extreme positions.

Lever G is preferably weighted at or near its outer end, as at G in the usual manner, and ordinary latches P for locking lever G in its extreme position are preferably provided. Latches P are rendered inoperative, however, in any suitable manner, when it is desired to have the switch thrown automatically by the rolling-stock.

By the foregoing description it will be observed that my improved switch-stand is exceedingly simple in construction and possesses great durability, and the legs or feet of the stationary nut places said nut a desirable distance above the supporting-ties.

Another important feature of myinvention consists in the provision of a longitudinallyreciprocating locking-rod R, that is operatively connected at one end with the switch rail or rails in any approved manner, and thence extends to and through any suitable number of boxes 11*, integral or rigid with and depending from nut H. Rod R extends in under the lever-bearing end of sleeve G, and is provided with a recess R, adapted to be engaged by two lugs or members G projecting laterally of the axis of the lever G in opposite directions, respectively, and the arrangement of parts is such that the one or the other of said lugs or projecting members shall engage the aforesaid recess in red R, according as the lever is in the one or the other of its extreme positions. Rod R, of course, reciprocates endwise with the switch-rod in the actuation of the latter, and the locking of lever G by means of rod R positively prevents accidental lateral displacement of the switch-rails by vibration of the rails or otherwise. Those portions of the lever lugs or members G that engage the recess in rod R in the extreme positions of the lever snugly fit the recess, but said lugs or members i are preferably somewhat wedge-shaped to facilitate their entrance into the aforesaid recess.

It will be observed that if the bolt or pin that pivotally secures the switch-rod to the link that connects said rod with the switch rail or rails should become detached, or should the link that connects the switch-rod with the switch-rails be broken, the switch-rails would still be locked in position by means of rod R, and hence would not be subject to lateral displacement by the vibration resulting from the travel of rolling-stock over the rails. Also, the switchman, should he be required to change the position of the switch-rails, and should the aforesaid pivotal bolt or pin be displaced, or the link connecting the switchrod with the switch-rails be broken, would find that lever G, upon the actuation of said lever from its one extreme position in which he found it into its other extreme position, would not fall into the recess in red R, (because it is obvious that said rod, if the aforesaid pivotal bolt or pin were displaced, or the switch-rail-engaging lugs broken, would not have moved endwise with the lever-bearing screw-threaded sleeve,) and will at once understand that something is out of order or broken.

Concluding, I would remark that a dustguard S, for excluding dust, dirt, and water from the bore of the nut, is preferably provided around sleeve G at the end of the nut at which said sleeve was introduced.

lVhat I claim is The combination of the switch rail or rails; the horizontal stationarynut H, and threaded sleeve G capable of rotary motion; the rod E embraced by said sleeve; means for preventing endwise displacement of the sleeve independently of said red; the switch-rod D operatively connected at one end to the switch rail or rails, and pivotally connected at the other end to rod E; the lever G operatively connected to sleeve G and having two lugs G G at opposite sides, respectively, of its axis 5 the longitudinally-movable locking-rod R arranged below and longitudinally of the aforesaid nut, said locking-rod being operatively connected atone end with the switch rail or rails, and, at the other end, having a slot or recess R, arranged to be engaged by the aforesaid lugs on lever G when the latter is in its extreme positions, substantially as AARON E, FLICKINGER.

\Vitncsses:

U. H. Donna, ELLA E. TILDEN. 

